Commitment to Diversity in Corporate America

 by Trudy V. M. Gygi, MBA1
The following article includes excerpts from an MSJ interview with H. Michael Gleason, an EDS Group Executive/Senior vice-president. Gleason runs a management consulting practice in EDS that earned a reported $429 million revenues in 1993 and now employs over 1500 people.

Q: When you took control of EDS Management Consulting Services (MCS) you made a public commitment to hiring a diverse workforce. Are you still committed to that initiative and why?

A: When you stand up in front of thousands of people and say those things, you had better be in it for the long run. The value is still there, and it is fundamental to where we have to go in MCS in the years to come. I have spent over 30 years in this industry and have worked for companies that were on the forefront of the commitment to diversity. I saw the value of a diverse workforce first hand.
In my opinion, strong companies are those that have really culturally diverse people and perspectives. Look at the companies that have remained on the Fortune 500 for the last 50 years; they have the ability to change. To make change happen all over the world, MCS has to be culturally diverse. My goal is to create an organization and culture that endorses change. In order to achieve that goal, MCS must be made up of more than just college-educated white men. We must include people of different genders, backgrounds, and educational strata.

Q: How has your commitment been demonstrated?

A: First, we started with hiring a diverse group MBAs. Of the 98 MBAs we recently hired, 51 people were culturally diverse. We hire globally, That is, we hire in the U.S. for assignments throughout the world.
Second, we have hired experienced consultants from over 40 different companies that operate in 21 countries. MCS has recently opened offices in 45 cities around the globe, so we have to do business in many languages including Chinese, Portuguese, English, and German. Companies had better be ready to be culturally diverse in the worldwide marketplace, because customers will demand that you are a part of their culture.
Third, MCS has made an effort to identify and promote promising women. For example, Susan Storch has been one of my "lieutenants" since I joined EDS. The Managing Director of Marketing and Director of operations in Europe are two other key positions currently held by women. But am I happy with where I am? No, because we have not begun to tap the women resource. We need more of women's idea power and ability to build consensus to make our consulting practice successful.

Q. Have you experienced any drawbacks to your commitment to diversity?

A: My biggest problem is convincing people that we really believe what we say, because you need a credible record over a period of years. Last week, three MBAs from Wharton came back from a four-month engagement in Santiago, Chile. Although they (and I) were thrilled with the opportunity, some of their colleagues had trouble seeing the value of sending them into a different culture so early in their career.
I have found, however, that people tend to celebrate their diversity more than argue about it. Once you get to know each other, that's the fun part

Q: U-M Business School is proud of its diverse student body. What is the best way for students to prove their commitment to diversity to your MCS recruiters?

A: I know that it is hard to communicate to a recruiter, but we are looking for more than anything the strength of a student's personal convictions. What is your vision of cultural and global diversity? What are your emotional bonds to this? A life committed to leveraging diversity is full of stress and consensus making, so you need strong bond if you are going to live it. Commitment to diversity transcends the business need, but is a way of life.

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